Gingered Squash Soup
Ever heard of a kid who gobbled up all the vegetables without complaining? The kind who would frustrate her friends, for the moms of the friends would go into the sing song of the comparing game to why they should eat the vegetables without whining? That kid was me.
I ate everything including bitter gourds, complained when we did not have at least one green everyday and I still do. My girls (and my guy) are good and eat almost all the vegetables; but pumpkin is not one of them. I could not however resist the temptation of getting the fresh of the season, even if it meant I would just be cooking for myself. Here is a small butternut squash which I used to make a soup. Nothing like a creamy, spicy, yellow soup; it tastes sensational (my family would not agree that pumpkins can be sensational), the lovely color is like dazzling sunshine, bright enough to boo the blues !
Here is my Sunshine Soup. I have used fresh ginger as well as the crystalline ginger – I love them. Coconut milk would have made it more creamy, but my pantry was out of it. I have used fresh coconut instead. If you are making this soup, do use the coconut milk for a better texture. I also had a lot of toasted pumpkin seeds from the Jack O Lanterns we made and I have added some of the seeds here. The last thing before I go to the recipe; the Jalapeno Cream rocks on this soup! If you are a spice eater, this is a must.
Gingered Squash Soup
Ingredients: (serves 3)
- 2.5 Cups Peeled and Cubed Pumpkin/Butternut Squash (About 1/2 of a medium sized Butternut Squash)
- 1.5 Teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
- 2 Dried Red Chili Pepper
- 1/2 Inch Fresh Ginger, peeled and julienned
- 1 Teaspoon Crystalline Ginger, chopped + 1 Tablespoon for garnish
- Salt
- White Pepper
- 4 Tablespoons Roasted Pumpkin Seeds/Pepitas (Shelled)
- 4 Tablespoons of Fresh Grated Coconut + 1 Cup of warm Water (or 1 Cup of Coconut Milk)
- 1 Cup of Water or Vegetable Stock
- Mint (or any other herb of your choice), more Crystalline Ginger, and a Dollop of Sour Cream/Greek Yogurt ( I mixed Jalapeno Pepper with the Sour Cream to make Jalapeno Cream) to Garnish
- Fresh Lime
Note: Feel free to use spices if you want.
Preparation:Heat Oil, Cumin and Dry Red Chili Pepper in a heavy, thick bottomed pan; cast iron skillet is what I used. When the seeds start to sizzle, add the cubed squash/pumpkin, ginger and black pepper. Cook at high heat while tossing everything in the pan frequently till the sides of the squash/pumpkin cubes brown.
Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of warm water in the pan, add the salt and white pepper, lower the heat to minimum, cover the pan tight and cook till the squash/pumpkin softens and is fork tender. Switch off the heat and cool the pumpkins/squash.In a blender add everything in the pan, 1 teaspoon crystalline ginger, coconut and all the water/stock (or the coconut milk and the rest of the water) and blend into a smooth soupy consistency. Pour it out in to a saucepan, cover and cook at medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Switch off the heat and keep it covered till it is ready to serve. Just before serving, add a dash of lime juice to the soup and stir in.
Jalapeno Cream:Muddle some finely chopped Jalapeno (or any fresh hot pepper), and whisk it with some sour cream/Greek yogurt till well combined.
To Serve:Pour out the soup in individual bowls; top with some jalapeno cream, some crystalline ginger, mint and pepitas/toasted pumpkin seeds.
Enjoy!!
The ginger and the pepper wonderfully compliments the sweet of the pumpkin. It was one bowlful of happiness. If you have noticed I have topped the soup with seeds which are not shelled (Do shell them when you are cooking them with the soup). We all munch our seeds with the peels on 
Related Posts:
Labra: A Festive Combination of Vegetable and Spices
Tags: autumn, butternut squash, butternut squash soup with ginger, butternut squash soup with ginger and lime, coconut milk, detox, Fall, fall recipe, fall soup, ginger and squash, ginger squash, gingered butternut squash soup, gluten free, healthy recipe, heart healthy, how to make pumpkin soup, jalapeno cream, nuts, Pumpkin, pumpkin recipe, pumpkin soup, soup recipe, sour cream, spices, sunshine soup, sweet and spicy soup, toasted pumpkin seeds, vegan eggless, vegetarian, wheat free
November 4th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
you wont believe it but I just made lentil , pumpkin and coconut soup , I added coconut milk though , just yesterday night for dinner !!! I was just contemplating writing it !!! Talk about coincidence !!! It was great I added ginger and lots of cilantro Yours looks wonderful soma !
November 4th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
very colorful soup.. Like all the ingredients you have added in there. someting new to try with squashs..
November 4th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Nice soup and a lovely color. I like the addition of ginger, In this weather we need it. Talking about soup I made soup yesterday for dinner, though it was tomato soup. I think any soup is the best comfort food for this weather. Am going to try your recipe too.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
m loving the beautiful orangish color on ye soup!! sound delicious!! yumm!!
November 4th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Wow, they don’t like pumpkin? Well, this soup really looks delicious and so perfect for fall and winter
November 4th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Those flavors go well together! A beautiful soup!
Cheers,
Rosa
November 4th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Never had pumpkin soup ever in my life, but your recipe makes me wanna make it. Thank you.
I was one of those kids who never liked her veggies. So yeah my parents would have loved you. Me, no so much.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
This is really really good! Just what is needed on a sultry November eve.
November 4th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I wish I had a paid a visit to your blog earlier. I had a butternut I used tonight but would have LOVED to have made your recipe with it. Oh well…next time.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Awesome color!! Loved the name ‘Sunshine soup’ .. I will keep my eyes peeled for that squash!
November 4th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I always love the deep hues of pumpkin/squash soups..I did make one last winter,but hate the process of skinning n chopping the squash..:D..guess all that ginger in that might have spicedn flavored the soup..:)
November 4th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Your soup looks sensational! Great idea to use crystallized ginger… I never think of using it in savory dishes. I usually eat it straight from the bowl
November 4th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
This is amazing! I love your presentation.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Dekhei bojha jacche ki darun hoye thakbe soup ta. I must try making pumpkin soup at least once … tomar blog theke must try list ta berei jacche.
Paa ektu bhalo ache ekon?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:54 am
hi soma,
God bless u extra for that…I needed my wisdom tooth to realise that all veggies were good for health 
..lol
the soup looks real comforting. ginger and pepper as u say must’ve been perfect to balance the sweetness
..u were an angel as a kid with no fuss
Have a great week ahead
TC
November 5th, 2009 at 1:29 am
When i was home i too ate all the vegg well except bittergourd.
I guess back at home we had to eat what was served in the plate, there was no moaning to mom saying i dodn’t want this ir don’t like this……..
But now when i look to my daughter she hardly eats any veggie and i always tell her that is because she is spoiled for choice/
Beautiful soup.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:10 am
Yummy soup! A rainy season here definitely needs this soup to warm up !!
November 5th, 2009 at 3:36 am
This looks delicious!!! I love pumpkin and have tried in various forms (my latest post is a gnocchi in pumpkin sauce) and soup is even more special – so this one is going to be a must try!
November 5th, 2009 at 5:35 am
Does look like sunshine. Delicious I bet. Did the family like it? I have been having this soup recipe on my mind for a month now. Saw it on Jacques Pepin show slightly different from the one you have here. I have the squash ready, just need to cook it up I guess.
Family did not even try it:-( Can’t wait to see your soup.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Of all things on earth I can’t just believe that you made a soup out of pumpkins
. I just love pumpkins, and the color of this one is definitely like the sunshine. 
November 5th, 2009 at 8:52 am
I love pumpkins! Savory or sweet! This looks incredibly delicious and so comforting!
November 5th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Yum…I love butternut squash …. never use it in soup before…
I’m going to try this recipe soon…
I tried your recipe for methi dal (lentil soup with fenugreek) today it’s was very delicious….I just fell in love with the fenugreek recently & can’t stop…. so I’ll be making your recipe more often
November 5th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Love the click soma..beautiful and looks very inviting
November 5th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Good I didn’t know you as a child
The soup looks so very inviting
November 5th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Squash is in the air
looks delish.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I can eat this ginger soup everyday… a comfort dish indeed
All the best,
Gera
November 5th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
The amount of pumpkin and squash recipes I keep seeing are endless!! And I love almost all of them! The colors of this soup are amazing.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
The jalapeno cream is a divinely rich extra ingredient!!
November 5th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
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November 5th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
I know one thing for certain: hubby and I would both adore this soup! I love the idea of the jalapeno cream too!
November 5th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Crystallized ginger sounds like a wonderful addition to this yummy soup!
November 5th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
what a gorgeous looking soup!! Lovely clicks.
November 6th, 2009 at 7:53 am
I love the riot of flavours of the jalapeno cream and the ginger, overlaid over the mild squash.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:06 am
This looks wonderful, Soma! I love all those ingredients
November 6th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Have some leftover squash in my freezer to use and this soup sounds delicious.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:29 am
That looks super yumm, awesome color..you got there…lovely clicks. Recipe sounds interesting too:)
November 6th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Super soup it is with unusual ingredients.But does the crystalline ginger add a sweet taste?Lovely clicks Can’t wait ti try this,am intrigued by the taste
November 6th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
The squash soup with ginger sounds great, and the jalapeno cream is a perfect topping!
November 7th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Great soup Soma!All these years, I made it with curry powder but this time I must try yours..But hte cream is the best I must say!
November 9th, 2009 at 9:14 am
nice pics there, color is so vibrant….I love different kind of pumpkins we gert here…DH is not very fond of it…but when i make something out of it…he eats it & enjoy it also…will make this soup.
November 14th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
My dad just sent me your blog, knowing how I love curry, and I’ve been reading through some of your soups and ooing and ahing and making plans for cooking. This particular recipe looks marvelous. I just got acquainted with butternut squash. Normally I can’t eat squash, because the texture of it cooked makes me gag, but pureed in soup I’ve learned it’s wonderful. I have a butternut squash from a friend’s garden sitting and waiting for me, and I think I’ll use it up with this recipe.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
all of a suddent I want to try MOST recipes on your blog! very beautifully illustrated..Just bumped into it recently!
December 25th, 2009 at 3:51 am
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March 2nd, 2010 at 12:59 pm
great, thanks for this, i love squash soup so i’m always trying to find out other people’s recipes to try, and this one looks delicious!! thanks again